MADISON, Ala — The Rocket City Trash Pandas couldn’t cash in on several opportunities to score, as they left 11 men on base in a 4-2 loss to the Biloxi Shuckers Friday evening at Toyota Field. Rocket City fell despite seven walks in the ballgame from Biloxi pitchers.
There was no score through the first half of the game before the Trash Pandas broke through with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Catcher Myles Emmerson started the inning with a walk. He would advance to third with two away when centerfielder Nelson Rada rolled an RBI single into center to put Rocket City in front. Rada would finish the game 3-3 with three singles, an RBI and a stolen base.
The Shuckers, however, would pounce on Trash Pandas reliever Jared Southard (L, 0-1) to the tune of four runs over two frames on two hits. In the sixth, third baseman Brock Wilken was hit by a pitch with one away. He was at second with two outs when shortstop Eric Brown Jr. reached base on a dropped third strike to prolong the inning. After a walk to rightfielder Lamar Sparks loaded the bases, Southard issued another walk to leftfielder Adam Hall to tie the game at one.
In the seventh, a single and walk put two on with two away for Biloxi when first baseman Ernesto Martinez roped a three-run homer over the rightfield wall to give the Shuckers a 4-1 lead.
Rocket City would push their final run across in the bottom of the seventh. Third baseman Ben Gobbel led off with a double, went to third on a bunt single by Rada, then scored on a sac fly to center from second baseman David Mershon. However, Shuckers right-hander Chase Costello (H, 1) would relieve fellow pitcher Will Childers and strike out back-to back batters to end the inning and keep Rocket City at bay.
That was a theme over the final half of the game as Rocket City left eight men on base over the final four frames including seven in scoring position. They loaded the bases in the sixth with two away before leftfielder David Calabrese just missed a grand slam with a fly out to left. Back-to-back walks put two men on with one out in the eighth before Calabrese rolled to first and third baseman Ben Gobbel flied to left.
Finally, in the ninth, Rocket City got a leadoff walk by Rada and a single from Mershon before Shuckers closer Justin Yeager (S, 19) picked up the save by striking out two of the next three hitters to end the game. It was his third save of the series. Childers (W, 2-3) got the win for Biloxi after allowing a run on three hits over 1.1 innings with two walks.
In addition to his homer, Martinez had a single while going 2-4 to lead the Biloxi attack. Catcher Darrien Miller chipped in with a 2-4 effort on a double and run scored.
The Trash Pandas will face the Shuckers in game six of their seven-game series tomorrow with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. Right-hander Chase Chaney (7-11, 4.57 ERA) will go to the bump for the Trash Pandas against southpaw Adam Seminaris (1-7, 6.22 ERA) of the Shuckers.
